The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-06-24

How Allen @. Thurman Passes His
Time Away ut Coiumb bus.


The capital o.. Ohio Is the sleepy,
dust beridden town of Columbus. Were
II not for the annual influx Of legisla.
tors and their attendant evils, writes 8
cores ondent of The Mew York Mai
and Express, there would be- no good
reason for lis continued existence. Like
many other capitals, it sleeps quietly
for months, the gras grows between
the pavements and its homes an
streets are deserted. Like every other
town, however, 1t has its peculiarities,
which are more or less characteristic OF
the people. To instance: the police
men carry umbrellas when it rains or
the sun is very hot and if you ask
them they will step inside and
take glass of beer with you. But
aside from this there is nothing very
interesting. 1t is not surprisingly
beautiful. 1t has no traditions worthy
the name, and its business is almost
nothing. When you speak of Column
bus you almost instnctively think of it
as the home of Allen G. Thurman.
You do not think of him as living there;
you rather think of it as his home.
You will probably say that this is 9
distinction without difference. Prob.
ably SO: but think moment and you
will see where the difference lies. 1t
is said that no man is hero to his
neighbors to the people he has been
associated with all his life, This is an
adage, but, like most adages, it is not
true in every intance. Certainly il is
not true as regards Mr. Thurman. No
man is loved more in his home than
this retired statesman. The people of
his adopted city look upon him as the
greatest and best of men, and it would
be hard to find citizen who would
speak harshly of him, even though he
differed from him in his political views.
Thurman lives on East Rich street,
in one of the pleasantest portions OF
the city. The house is built partially Of
stone, with white marble front and
brick sides. 1t is three stories in height,
with sloping tiled roof and dormer
windows. You enter the house by way
of the Rich street front. Ascending
the three or four marble steps, you pass
into square vestbule. Pressing the
electric bell to the left you soon stand
face to face with pretty Irish girl with
rosy cheeks and dancing eyes. In the
rich brogue of Erin she invites you in.
To the right are the parlors. The
rooms are divided by heavy, dark en-
broidered portieres. The front parlor
is also the reccption-room, and here,
after dinner, you will almost always
find goodly assemblage of visitors
some strangers, some residents of the
city. Thurman keeps open house, and
every one is welcome to call, and
nearly everyone who stops at
Columbus CONS to see him. The back
parlor is really the sittng-room, and
here you will almost invariably find
Mrs. Thurman, white-haired, matron-
ly-lookng lady, with knitting in hand
Upstairs on the second floor. is the
study of tho master of the house.
This is the den where hide myself
from the world" said Mr.. Thurman,
latter the work of the day is over, and
the house is quiet like to come here
and read. Yes. keep up my old
Washington hours. Iseldom retire be-
fore 10 o'clock, and it is more frequent
ly 2 before am asleep"
The study is one Of the most COM
Portable of rooms. The floor is cover
cred by thick Brussels carpets and
rugs. IL is, perhaps, The largest room
in the house. In front of the window
is one of the largest and most comfort
able of arm chairs, and on the marble
mantel flowers are always in bloom.
There are no pictures oh the wall save
one: that is very fine engraving of
the United States capitol at Washing.
There are plenty Of books They are
arranged in no order. Here volume
Of law presses dainty poem, and there
set of Chambers Encyclopedia. lie
next to The Congressional Record, of
which the Judge has full set.
From the open window Of the library
you have full view of the magnificent
lawn which lies to the left and which
sanara foo tho ,.acfdanoa ~ Mr. TIM